The keystone role of leaf-removing crabs in mangrove forests of North Brazil

Principle factors which influence mangroveleaf litter turnover, in particular therole of leaf-removing crabs, were evaluatedin a riverine mangrove site nearBragança (Pará, North Brazil). Ourspecial interest was focussed on the roleof the leaf-removing crab Ucidescordatus. Leaf litter fluxes between...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wetlands ecology and management 2003-08, Vol.11 (4), p.243-255
Main Authors: Schories, Dirk, Barletta Bergan, Audrey, Barletta, Mario, Krumme, Uwe, Mehlig, Ulf, Rademaker, Verena
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic plants
Avicennia germinans
Brackish
Crustaceans
Decomposition
Forests
Freshwater
Keystone species
Leaf litter
Leaves
Mangroves
Marine
Neap tides
Rhizophora mangle
Ucides cordatus
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Summary:Principle factors which influence mangroveleaf litter turnover, in particular therole of leaf-removing crabs, were evaluatedin a riverine mangrove site nearBragança (Pará, North Brazil). Ourspecial interest was focussed on the roleof the leaf-removing crab Ucidescordatus. Leaf litter fluxes between themangrove forest and the adjacent estuarywere investigated by estimating the biomassand fate of leaf litter material and propagules. Vegetation is dominated by Rhizophora mangle, with Avicenniagerminans trees, both up to 25 m high,found intermittently. During 1997, Rhizophora trees produced around 1.40 gDW m^sup -2^ d^sup -1^ of leave fall and0.75 g DW m^sup -2^ d^sup -1^ of propagules.Leaf decomposition rates on the ground wereabout 0.06 g DW m^sup -2^ d^sup -1^,irrespective of species, habitat or siteexposure. This amount accounts for
ISSN:0923-4861
1572-9834
DOI:10.1023/A:1025011431984